ABC [LP] [Bonus Tracks]

Photographer: Thea Djordjadze.
Kreidler celebrated their 20th anniversary with the release of ABC, an album that shows that they don't just mine the legacy of the Krautrock bands who made some of the most vital music of the '70s -- they also find plenty of inspiration in their own discography. Here, the group expands on Den and Tank's excursions, digging into their fondness for textural interplay with results that are equally playful and intricate. ABC's vibe is introduced and defined by the sinewy "Nino," which boasts taut guitars and keyboards that showcase drummer Thomas Klein's tumbling rhythms. This feeling extends to "Destino," where the prickly melody and beats coil on themselves so tightly that they seem bound to snap at any moment, and "Modul," where Andreas Reihse and Detlef Weinrich's ping-ponging synthesizers take center stage. At times, Kreidler's exercises in tension are almost too linear -- "Alphabet" promises a climax that never quite arrives -- but songs such as "Ceramic," which features a luminous Georgian choir that nods to the fact that the album was recorded in Tbilisi, offer subtle surprises. Ultimately, ABC is an often intriguing study in freedom and structure from a band that's spent its career mastering those elements. ~ Heather Phares